Chargers make fifth-year option on RB Melvin Gordon official

Chargers make fifth-year option on RB Melvin Gordon official

The Chargers have picked up running back Melvin Gordon’s fifth-year option, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

Gordon is set to make $1.9 million in base salary in 2018 and the team’s option for 2019, which would be guaranteed only for injury, would pay him an average of the No. 3 through No. 25 highest salaries among running backs in the NFL. For context, that is currently around $5.6 million.

The former Badgers product seemed to be a waste of a selection after his rookie year that included six fumbles, but he has been more productive over the last two seasons. The former Wisconsin product rushed 254 times for 997 yards in 2016 and amassed 284 carries for 1,105 yards in 2017.

The Chargers selected former Northwestern running back Justin Jackson to finish out the 2018 NFL draft with the No. 251 selection in the seventh round Saturday.

Jackson was an absolute workhorse as a Wildcat. A four-year starter, he amassed 5,440 career rushing yards, which is third all-time in the Big Ten.